Electric wall outlet and plug therefor



April 19, 1949. w. H. LAVOIE ELECT RIO WALL OUTLET AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Jan. 5, n45

2 Sheets-Sheet l lm/enjor HQ 7 36 Ha 8 #44440: H. LAVO/E i: d] Y Attorneys April 19, 1949- I w. H. LAVOlE 2,467,981

ELECTRIC WALILv OUTLET AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Jan. 5, 1945 -2 Sheets-She et 2 Inventor mm; H. LAW/E By @Mmiiz Patented Apr. 19, 1949 shearer-o oIigrLEii" AND PLiiG THEREFOR Wallace- Lavdi'e, Hartford; Conn. 'Aiipiieatibn-januan 5, 1945,- Serial Nee- 57-1 379 iilaiins. (Cl. ris -s30) This invention relates to an eiectricwas outlet, and plug therefor.

A rimary object of thisinvention isftrie provision of" an improved electric wall outlet, and a plug to be utilizedii'nassociation therewith", so arranged as toprovid'e' a ready four-way connection for a plurality ofplugs;

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such an outlet wherein the plug may be inserted without" hesitation or difiiculty, even though the'outlet be iii-darkness orin an inaceessible spot.

An" additional object of the invention resides in'the rovisioncf a plug and outlet wherein the plug will notice enabled trrloosen; due to accidental pull thereon.

Still anotherobje'ct oithe invention is'theprevision of such a plugprovided with improveaeoiitact means whereby the circuit is maintained steadily and efliciently atall timesy A still further object is the provision of means adapted: to: be utilizedifi' efilfilhttwdu ith either such an outlet or plug, wherebytlie saine may-be connected with a conventional opposite outlet or plug. H

Still other objects reside'ir'i the combinations of elements; arrangementsdfpai ts, arid' featiires of construction; all as wilt be" more fullypointed out hereinafter and'disclse'd'iriithe accompanyifig drawings, wherein thereis shewn a" prefer-rea embodiment-of this inventive-"comma In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of the assembled wall outlet.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the top plate for the outlet.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the base plate of the outlet.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the plug adapted to be utilized in conjunction with the outlet.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the same plug shown in a different position to clarify certain details of construction.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of an adapter unit, for the purpose of utilizing the outlet of the instant invention in conjunction with a con ventional plug, certain parts thereof being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the unit shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of an adapter designed to convert a conventional wall outlet for use with a plug of the instant invention.

Figure 10 is a top lan view of ahadditi'dnal section or the unit shown in- Fi ure 9.

Figure 11 is a side sectional view or the co nbined unitshown in plan in Figures 9' and 10.

Like refer nce numerals ref r to like" parts throughout the several views or the drawiii s.

Having reference how to the drawings, there is generally indicated at III a top plate, cornpri's'ed era rectangmar, or other desired-shaped, sheet of m'eta'i; plastic or the like, provided" with a ceritrany' disposed aperture H h ving a beveled edge l2' and a lurality of radiany xtend n siotfiea apertures 1'? extending at rightahgle's to" ea h other froin' the aperture H. Surrounding the slots r3 "re bosses 1'4, for a purposetd b more fully de iib'ed hereinafter; Unaeriyih piate In is'a see'cha plate I5, of similar eohfi iiratidrtpre view with raised arcuatehesses f6 adapted to iiiidei'lyth'c'titfal aperture n of plate" It, and radially disposed bosses l1, adapted to extend upwardly through t e sietteq apertures 13; and to the extremities" thereof; Positioned on chisesitesides of each of passes It are ebht aets rs,

electrical association any desired manner with a desired power soura' V p in asseihhhi g'the unit, the top plate is aaafte'd to" hese'cur'ee h'asepiate ls'ih an d'' refd manner, as by sc s21!" engaging in suitable threaded apertures in the 'base'plate.

Having reference new t'othe'pliig adapted'to be utilized in the assembly, the same is comprised of a hard rubber or similar circular disk 25, formed at its outer surface with a transversely extending flange 28 of arcuate configuration. Two contact members 21 extend from the interior of the disk 25 and are comprised of extending portions having outwardly flared right angularly disposed extremities 28. Contacts 21 are in electrical association in any desired conventional manner with an outlet cord 29 adapted to lead any desired electrical appliance. The arrangement is such that the flange 26 is in longitudinal alignment with the outwardly flared portions 28, in such manner as to indicate the position thereof to the user of the plug.

From the foregoing the operation of the device should now be readily understandable. When it is desired to insert a plug in the electrical wall outlet, the contacts thereof are merely placed in the central aperture H and passed on opposite sides of a boss ll, the lower surface of the disk 25 riding on the associated boss 14, whereupon contact is made between the contact flanges 28 and the contacts 13 to'establish an electrical circuit. Obviously, accidental dislodgement of the plugs and their associated slots as by a pull or tug on the cord 29 is precluded, disengagement being possible only by longitudinal sliding of the plug member. It will correspondingly be seen that four plugs may be associated with the four slots l3 and their associated contacts to provide a plurality of electrical wall outlets.

Adapter means are provided for utilizing a wall outlet constructed in accordance with this inventive concept in conjunction with the ordinary two-pronged plug now commonly associated with electrical fixtures. Such means take the form of a cylindrical plug 35, as best shown in Figures 7 and 8, provided with two apertures 36 adapted to accommodate the contact members of a conventional plug, the plug body having a recess therein 31 within which are positioned contact members 38 terminating in projecting portions 39 flared outwardly as at 40, in such manner as to accommodate the wall outlet of the instant invention.

Similarly, an adapter plug is provided whereby the plug of the instant invention may be utilized in conjunction with the conventional wall outlet.

Such means take the form, as best shown in Figures 9 to 11, of a disk 40 provided with 2. Iongitudinally extending aperture 4| beveled as at 42 and provided with a central aperture 43, adapted to be secured as by screws or the like 44 to a second member 45 comprised of a recessed central portion 46 having a pair of arcuate contact mem g bers 4'! therein in electrical association as by screws or rivets 48 with a pair of vertically extending contact members 49. .Bosses 50 serve as stops for the contact blades. Thus it will be seen that when the contacts 28 of a plug in accordance with the instant invention are inserted in the slots 4| and the device rotated ninety degrees, such rotation being permitted by the central aperture 43, the flared portions 28 are engaged under the contacts 41, and electrical contact with the projecting members 49 established.

Now from the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention and others including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An outlet plug assembly comprising a base plate, a plurality of pairs of spaced contacts secured thereto, an'insulating boss between the contacts of each pair, a cover plate secured in spaced relation to said base plate, said cover plate having a plurality of slots overlying said bosses, the cover plate adjacent said slots overlying said pairs of contacts, said bosses extending medially through said slots, said slots opening into an aperture in said cover, and a plug having flanged, depending spaced contacts insertable into said aperture and selectively engageable with said pairs of spaced contacts, said plug contacts underlying said cover and resting upon said spaced contacts.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base plate includes upstanding arcuate bosses underlying the periphery of said aperture and engaging the undersurfacev of said cover plate.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said arcuate bosses terminate at the edges of adjacent slots.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said pairs of contacts, said bosses and said slots are disposed radially of said aperture.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein each contact of said pairs of contacts has a bottom portion secured to said base plate and an integral top portion overlying said bottom portion and yieldingly biased towards the undersurface of said cover.

WALLACE H. LAVOIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 4

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,042,105 Kelley May 26, 1936 2,131,884 Brodhecker Oct. 4, 1938 2,166,453 Wagar, Sr. July 18, 1939 2,254,280 Gottheimer Sept. 2, 1941 2,399,408 Walk Apr. 30, 1946 

